Can you love Musical Theatre too much?

I was recently listening to a new theatre podcast called Off-Book Radio and they were reviewing Grease Live so I thought I might take a listen to their comments. Before the show even reached the 10 minute mark, they were already intensively criticizing it. At one point, the male host got mad that "Those Magic Changes" wasn't EXACTLY like the 1994 cast recording or that it didn't follow what the original or revival productions of Grease did. Anyway, can you love musical theatre too much to the point where it blinds you because you have your own way of thinking how something should be?

I think it depends on how you would interpret that phrase. If you do love it that much, you should be at least somewhat accepting of inevitable changes -- or at least not GET MAD about it. It's a flexible art form. Theatre doesn't die because of these things. 

(And for the record, I didn't notice. But I'm not very familiar with Grease.)

I realize it's human nature, but I don't think expecting a production to be like some production you saw earlier is a matter of 'loving too much", it's just a self-destructive rigidity. EXCEPT in cases where you believe a choice violates the essential spirit of the play.

In my personal opinion, the worst offenses to GREASE were all committed when they made the inane film, with its disco interpolations, SoCal locations and flying car. Oh, I got used to it years ago, but the fact remains that the film makes the satire less pointed, the jokes less funny, the verisimilitude less accurate and the emotions less moving. It's not that it's different from the original (which I never thought perfect), it's that it's different in entirely inferior ways.

In both versions, GREASE is still a play about how peer pressure causes a girl to give up her virginity. But at least the original argues, like it or not, that virginity is a pretty silly thing to cling to. The GREASE-LITE movie and its imitators simply bury the central action under layers of cotton candy.

Likewise, gypsy101 makes a good point about dropping the four chords that are the only reason for "Those Magic Changes" to exist. It may not bother everybody, but he has a substantial reason for his objection: the point isn't just that those particular chords are important to that song, but that they were important to almost every early rock song, because they are the easiest guitar chords to learn and play. THAT's the joke.

Updated On: 2/4/16 at 11:18 PM

Wait, the "central action" is a peer pressured virgin sacrifice? When does that happen in the show? Lord, the things that go over my head...

Ask Tedwin Drood Cruz.

"Anyway, can you love musical theatre too much to the point where it blinds you because you have your own way of thinking how something should be?"

You can love musical theatre ---- or the theatre in general  --- too much to the point where it pains you to see it being destroyed.

Take it from me: that pain is intense. 

I speak from experience.

Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Wait, the "central action" is a peer pressured virgin sacrifice? When does that happen in the show? Lord, the things that go over my head...

"

What do you think it means when Sandy sings "Goodbye to Sandra Dee"? Remember that the first time we hear a reference to Dee is in Act I: "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee/ Lousy with virginity".

Then add the transformation that Sandy effects (with the help of Frenchy): she goes from virginal pink and white to Leather Goddess. She starts to smoke and swear. She "rats" her hair. "Tell me about it, Stud" is not the cry of devoted virgin.

And why does she do so? Because (in the film and TV version) she finds herself shunned by the group during the race. (It's been a couple of decades since I saw the stage show and I forget how they handle the moment there.)

And because she is convinced by Rizzo's argument:

"There are worse things I could do

Than go with a boy or two

Press against them when we dance

Make them think they have a chance,

Then refuse to see it through.

That's a thing I'd never do."

And later:

"I don't steal and I don't lie..."

Rizzo's argument is "I may be a slut, but at least I'm honest and not a tease."

Sandy learns her lesson.

Well, of course she hasn't given it up yet. She has to finish the song first.

Seriously, AEA, you think the show is just about a girl who changes her wardrobe?

Sandy also sings:

"I can cure your disease, Come on and say pretty please,
Take your medicine down on your knees."

 

I think Danny has made it clear his "disease" is blue balls. Notice that when Sandy sings "I still think there's strings attached", she doesn't say "No, I won't take your ring." She's just flirting in her new persona as "tough girl".

I listened to the OffBook Radio podcast that you are referring to.  I don't think the hosts are taking themselves too seriously.  It was actually pretty entertaining to hear two friends have fun commentating on something they truly love and are knowledgeable about.  I also listened to their Valentine's show where they list their top 10 love songs from the Broadway Stage...they were very positive and gave great insight into some of the songs chosen.  So yes, I think you can love musical theater too much, but that is not a bad thing!